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Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription is popular line of work. Home-based medical transcription of course offers a convenient work-at-home environment. It is also fairly easy to enter this field. The key factor is that you want to hold a medical transcription degree or MT certificate so that you can earn a higher salary and get hired for more jobs.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics in 2006, wage-and-salary medical transcriptionists earned between $10 and $20 per hour. Those with degrees and certificates earned more, and you can see that a highly skilled transcriptionist can earn double that of a non-degree worker.
Working at Home Doing Medical Transcription

First of all, What is the typical day in the life of a medical transcriptionist?

Basically, medical transcriptionists listen to dictated recordings made by health care professionals such as physicians, and transcribe them into medical reports and other correspondence. Part of the job involves editing materials and checking for inconsistencies.

The transcriptionist then returns the transcribed items to the medical professional. These transcription documents can include physical exam and operative reports, autopsies, discharge summaries, progress notes, consultations and other medical-related materials. Although fairly basic work, there are a variety of different types of documents, keeping the work interesting.

Why Start a Medical Transcription Home-Based Business?

You may wonder, "Why start a medical transcription business when I can just get a job?".

The internet has made transcription work easier and faster to complete at home. Many transcriptionists telecommute, which has sparked an interest with entrepreneurs who want to work for themselves out of their homes. With the additional freedom and income that a home-based business offers, you can see why medical transcription is quickly becoming a popular home-based business.

What Education or Training is Required to Become a Medical Transcriptionist?

Although advanced education is not required to become a medical transcriptionist, completing a 2-year associate's degree or 1-year certificate program is highly recommended.

In addition, you can demonstrate a higher transcription skill level and qualification with a "designation". You can earn the designation of a Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) or a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT), both of which require ongoing education to pass re-certification every 3 years. Penn Foster is an accredited school that offers a good online training program to become a Medical Transcriptionist and receive your certificate as well. This is a good selling point to clients, especially when you run your own business.

Michelle Miller has worked from home for over 14 years getting paid to do medical transcription. She offers an online course on How to Start a Medical Transcription Business, which has some great advice for beginners who want to become successful.

How Do I Find Medical Transcription Clients?

Speaking of clients, a good way to find medical transcription clients is through medical transcription networking sites online, like www.mtdaily.com. You may also be able to land contract work through online job websites dedicated to medical transcriptionists, like www.mtjobs.com

What About Medical Transcription Equipment?

When you start your medical transcription business, you'll need transcription equipment. Initially, you want to decide if you want to use the standard mini cassette transcriber method or the newer digital dictation style using the internet and your computer. This will determine the gear you'll need, such as a computer, high speed internet connection, word processing software, headphones, a foot pedal, copier, printer, a server and a data storage device. Sometimes you can find great deals on eBay.com

Next, a medical dictionary is also a good item to have in your office. You can find several used dictionaries at bargain prices on Amazon.com. As with any job where you sit and type a lot, invest in a comfortable chair and desk and you may want to take a look at wrist support or an ergonomic keyboard. These will pay for themselves in the long run.

Keep in mind that you can start small and then upgrade your equipment as your business grows. Your clients may also dictate (pardon the pun!) the type of equipment you use, depending on their needs.

Medical Transcription Books on Amazon

As simple as it may sound, books offer a huge amount of valuable information when starting a business. Even though they are a "cheap" resource, they should not be overlooked, as they can often save you a great amount of time and money in starting your business - which can ultimately decide your success or failure.
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Sue Barrett is the Director of Business Solutions at Home Business Center, Inc. and Founder of The New Business Idea Blog. When she's not helping people... more »

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